half waif – “torches”

nandi rose plunkett sits at the helm of the synth-driven pop trio half waif, who are set to release their new full-length, lavender, at the end of april. the album’s cycle kicked off last month with an audio/visual masterclass for the swirling, invigorating lead single, “keep it out,” which set both tone and precedent with a commanding ease.

“torches,” the second track culled from lavender, pares back its predecessor’s propulsive nature while still retaining its sense of urgency. plunkett’s lead vocal initially sounds a bit muffled, as if she’s dictating vivid, contemporaneous observations of her surroundings through a field recorder; a comparative clarity is achieved as the arrangement fleshes out, culminating in the sudden, sharp declaration of “i do what i want / you won’t see me anymore.”

percussion reins “torches” in, as opposed to pushing it forward, allowing plunkett’s sustained synth chords ample time to soak into the soundscape and construct the mid-tempo monolith that it ultimately becomes. lavender is out april 27th via cascine. listen to “torches” below.